{"id":47587,"date":"2017-09-13T09:53:09","date_gmt":"2017-09-13T13:53:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/?p=47587"},"modified":"2017-09-13T10:02:27","modified_gmt":"2017-09-13T14:02:27","slug":"protesters-at-eli-lillys-headquarters-demand-transparency-and-lower-insulin-prices","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/asweetlife.org\/?p=47587","title":{"rendered":"Protesters at Eli Lilly’s Headquarters Demand Transparency and Lower Insulin Prices"},"content":{"rendered":"

This past Saturday, people living with diabetes and health advocates gathered outside the Indianapolis headquarters of pharmaceutical giant, Eli Lilly, one of the three major insulin manufacturers, to demonstrate for fair insulin prices. In the weeks leading up to the demonstration, T1International<\/a> and People of Faith for Access to Medicines<\/a> (PFAM) planned a peaceful but powerful, data and story-driven event to grab the attention of the insulin manufacturers, and the nation.<\/p>\n

Insulin prices have been increasingly rising out of control and proportion; in 20 years the costs have climbed 1123%<\/a>, while U.S. inflation stayed around 56%. People with insulin dependent diabetes in most income brackets are deeply struggling to pay for this life-sustaining medication, which can range from hundreds to thousands of dollars a month.<\/p>\n

Protestors held signs that detailed their own personal struggles, as well as simple, yet attention grabbing phrases like Insulin=Life<\/em>. It\u2019s not complicated, stop the greed<\/em> and Your prices are killing us<\/em>. One attendee dressed as the grim reaper.<\/p>\n

Jessie Howenstine, a PFAM representative and social justice activist for\u00a0people\u00a0struggling to access healthcare led the crowd in chanting. She used Facebook to stream the event<\/a> live.<\/p>\n

Some shared their stories by speaking to the crowd as a whole; others mingled and shared struggles one on one with each other. Individuals who have been impacted by diabetes, in some form, were able to bond and begin building a force that is only expected to grow stronger in the days to come. The battle is firing up and drug companies are taking notice; momentum is building within the community.<\/p>\n

Even those not impacted by this particular drug are intrigued, as they know this fight can accomplish great things for healthcare in general. The internet is buzzing with the hashtag #insulin4all<\/strong><\/a>, and several news cameras came out to the event. Even people in passing-by cars yelled out in support, praising the efforts of those gathered on the sidewalk across from the extravagant Lilly campus.<\/p>\n

Fran Quigley of PFAM started the speaking segment off powerfully, stating facts and statistics that solidify our side of the argument. He also presented the three asks to Eli Lilly that served as the building blocks of the #insulin4all <\/a>demonstration:<\/p>\n